CRIME FACTION:

It’s no secret that the crime faction has a lot of problems. These issues, are by no means exclusive to this group they're symptoms of broader, cross-factional challenges that affect the entire community ecosystem. After spending considerable time ****yzing the landscape, I have noticed several issues contributing to the overall instability within the faction.

One of the primary concerns is the lack of cohesive leadership. The crime faction truthfully has almost no one fighting for their right to exist on the server. It’s always a constant point to increase KPD’s authority and power, and they’re often completely disregarded as a ‘’lesser faction’’ and I’m very confident you will see this, even in the nature of the comments of this very suggestion.

Another major issue is the inherent imbalance of power dynamics. This problem manifests not only in the crime faction but across various other factions as well, specifically KPD in this example. Due to in-game mechanics, player hierarchy, or favoritism, the result is the same: a small subset of individuals or groups tends to dominate, whilst others are left marginalized and neglected. This creates a sense of frustration and demotivation, leading to lower engagement levels.

Yes I understand that it’s not supposed to be an equal 50/50 power dynamic ICLY, however I feel like something more 60/40 in KPD’s favor should be more the goal. KPD is CONSTANTLY getting new updates to bolster their authority and quite frankly it’s unfair and unjust to those who put real time and dedication into the crime faction.

Those who are in the crime faction actively get mistreated and disregarded OOCLY and aren’t taken seriously ever. Imagine if the teacher faction, or EMS was treated this way? Who would want to actually put real effort into it, if they’re just going to get the short end of the stick 85% of the time.

The nature of the crime faction persists even with OOC opportunities. Events for example, are seen as a reward for good behavior. Whilst other factions constantly are getting their own events, some factions can literally just run their own events without much staff intervention beyond just handling commands that are restricted to staff (this is fair enough). Crime events however have to have staff holding their hand through every aspect of the event from inception to when they’re put into action, and even then, it’s not enough, KPD still has the right to impose their own authority onto these gang events and it’s just “whatever, it’s a gang event” There is a complete lack of care towards those who put hard work and time into crime events.

Continuing on the OOC points, Permissions are the worst thing to exist and they blatantly just encourage rule breaking and create a pipeline that leads to players being banned from the server. There is no consistency and you can get seven different answers from seven different staff members about the same situation, and if you get the wrong answer it’s “You should’ve contacted a crime lead” and you retain the warns/punishments you’ve received. I’m not saying mistakes don’t happen but there needs to be a place where people can get finite information about the crime faction that is updated regularly and not forgotten about for nearly four years. I understand the need for permissions and I will be the first to agree with you that they need to exist. However there are so many other alternatives to solving this issue.

Lastly, there's the issue of player engagement. GangRP isn't dead, they’re just tired of being mistreated. Many members of the crime faction join with high expectations, looking for action or the thrill of strategic criminal roleplay and the dream of one day becoming a Verified Gang. However, without consistent incentives, many players lose interest or fail to invest the effort needed to keep the faction alive. This phenomenon can be seen in other factions too, where engagement falls when players don't feel adequately challenged or rewarded. This obviously implies a deeper need for more dynamic and rewarding roleplay experience.

POSSIBLE FIXES:

So now that I've yapped for half an hour (yes it took me half an hour to write that) let’s talk about possible solutions!

Leadership:
My point with leadership is honestly simply fixed by just hearing out the crime faction and giving them a real fighting chance to exist. Instead of constantly making it harder for them to do things, loosen it up a bit, hear their ideas. I think Hirathex and NoZinth do a fine job as faction leads The crime faction deserves a voice and deserves to be taken seriously as a faction on this server if it’s ever meant to thrive in the same capacity as others. I’m aware that there is efforts being made on this such as “gang talk”


Power Dynamics:
The overwhelming advantage that KPD holds over the crime faction creates an unhealthy dynamic. There should be a Limit KPD’s power in crime events, perhapsIntroduce event-specific rules that limit the KPD’s ability to impose their authority during certain crime events. For example, limiting them to rolling 150 if they wish to engage with the event, and or have a timer till when they can engage.

Rebalancing crime mechanics is essential to leveling the playing field between the crime factions and KPD. Right now, KPD is constantly being updated and given new tools that strengthen their authority, but crime factions are left with limited options to counterbalance that power. This imbalance leads to frustration and demotivation for those who invest significant time and effort into criminal roleplay, only to find themselves outmatched at every turn.
Disallowing KPD from pinging officers via Discord is a crucial step towards addressing the clear imbalance it creates in roleplay situations. When KPD officers are pinged OOC, it instantly gives them an unfair advantage by allowing them to respond to situations with an inflated number of officers. This completely skews the dynamic of the encounter and gives KPD a disproportionate level of control. If a gang were to do the same calling for backup OOC through Discord it would be immediately be considered metagaming, leading to warnings or even strikes. Yet, the KPD is allowed to use this method without any consequences, creating an undeniable bias in their favor. It’s important to establish consistency. If pinging for help through OOC channels is not allowed for gangs, then KPD should be held to the same standard. The solution here is simple: enforce in-character communication methods only, whether it's through radios or other in-game mechanics. This keeps the playing field level, ensuring that each faction is operating under the same set of rules. When KPD bypasses the in-game communication system, it strips away the immersive aspect of roleplay and tilts every situation in their favor, something that undermines the entire concept of fair roleplay.


Permissions:

Extreme route: (preferred)
Crime faction is already Limited to being Grade 10. I Think this is far too soon to be involved in crime, the reason this is even put in place is to protect new players from being taken advantage of However It’s also a risk for those who choose to get into crime this early as they’re new and not too familiar and it leads to more punishments being handed out. There is a massive issue with mis information in the crime faction. Yes, people in the crime faction lie about perms inorder to win, which is directly caused by permissions. What I’m suggesting here is Restrict GangRP to college or Adult role and remove permissions, this way everyone who is involved in crime is forced to have ATLEAST two months of roleplay experience before they are getting involved in crime.

Passive route: (not preffered)
You simply keep everything the same, however you increase the requirement to grade 12 and provide a constant regularly updated thread on gangrp rules, with permission examples and generalized concepts along with a modern updated thread about how to get into crime, (current one is four years old)​

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